SPANCO Rigid Lifelines - Six Man Gantry Fall Protection System

An aircraft training and simulator facility located in the southern United States, handles outsourced manufacturing of F22 Raptor aircraft mock-ups for pilot training/simulation for the United States Government. The manufacturing process involves the building of the F22 mock-ups in three sections, the aft, the arm, and the landing gear. These sections can weigh up to 20,000lbs. Each section is treated as an individual work station and may be as high as 6 to 9 feet off the ground. Sections that include the top of the air craft are sloped and have a pitch similar to that of the roof on a house.

When first setting up the manufacturing process, plant safety manager John Smith immediately recognized the serious fall hazards associated with the work stations. Multiple workers were going to need to get on top of these sections at the same time to put skin on aircraft. They would be carrying tools, need to climb ladders, and navigate the steep pitch on a daily basis. John was also well aware that OSHA mandates that over 4 ft., a fall restraint was needed.

John needed a system that was portable, non intrusive, and could accommodate 5,000 lbs. of weight for up to 6 people. Workers also needed to have the ability to cross paths. John first explored the solutions that a traditional wire rope system might provide, but the thought of trying to have 6 workers tied on a system seemed like a nightmare. A traditional wire rope system was also unable to offer the portability that John needed. A traditional wire rope system had a ‘limited footprint,’ due to the need to move the section to the cable, and even considering moving a 20,000 lbs. section of an aircraft to the fall protection seemed foolish and inefficient. John also was dissuaded by the fact that traditional wire rope systems suffer from the serious flaw of initial sag, and freefall distance. Meaning that in the event of a fall, a wire rope system may prevent a total fall, but there could be significant bodily injury.

It was during John’s search for a fall protection solution that SPANCO sales rep Bud Lohr offered a presentation on SPANCO Rigid Lifelines Fall Protection Systems. John brought in his entire safety committee to hear this presentation. During the presentation, Bud highlighted the SPANCO Rigid Lifelines Gantry Fall Protection System. As he talked, John and his counterparts started to see the value that a SPANCO Rigid Lifelines Gantry Fall Protection System could offer their situation. The system seemed to perfectly fit John’s fall protection needs. The SPANCO Rigid Lifelines Gantry Fall Protection System offered portability as it could be rolled from workstation to workstation, and be locked in place when needed. It also allowed for up to six workers to hook up to a dual track system simultaneously, allowing them to work while protected, and easily pass each other as needed. Soon after the presentation, John called Bud to inquire about having a SPANCO dealer stop in to talk about a system.

John’s company invested in a SPANCO Rigid Lifelines Gantry Fall Protection System in October of 2007. Workers wheel the system up to section they are working on, lock the wheels, then climb a ladder and latch onto the systems with a lanyard. The workers can then start their work, knowing they are secure. Since the purchase, the SPANCO Rigid Lifelines Gantry Fall Protection System has aided in a couple of actual fall incidents. In each incident the individual fell from the aircraft section and was restrained by the SPANCO Rigid Lifelines Gantry Fall Protection System. In every case, no worker suffered from any bodily injury. It is also convenient for John because unlike a traditional wire rope system, a SPANCO rigid track system does not have to be tagged and taken out of commission for inspection, it can continue being used, providing better workplace efficiency. Since the system has been put into place John said there have been zero complaints. In his words, “when employees don’t like a new process at work, they complain, with the new SPANCO Rigid Lifelines Fall Protection Gantry, our worker’s have never complained once.”

• SPANCO Rigid Lifelines - Six Man Gantry Fall Protection System

SPANCO - Gantry Cranes Play Role in Seattle Light Rail Project

One of the largest suppliers of light rail mass transit vehicles in the northern United States operates as a ‘set-up site’ manufacturer. Once awarded a contract, a building is located, they set up their equipment and a production process, and then move on to the next site as another contract becomes available. Skender Nezaj, production manager with the company is responsible for overseeing site set-up, and ensuring that production is efficient.

In 2007, Skender was asked to head up a major project in Seattle, Washington. His company was awarded a contract to build 35 light rail cars for the regional transit provider in Central Puget Sound. The cars will eventually operate as part of the City of Seattle’s new light rail transit system that will connect the city of Seattle to SeaTac Airport. Skender researched the area and chose an old Boeing 787 production plant north of Seattle as the set-up site. As Skender set up the production process, he chose SPANCO Gantry Cranes to solve his challenging lifting problems.

The production of the light rail cars happens in sections. Drive trains and internal components are assembled in the facility through a long series of stations. A 7 ½ ton SPANCO PF Motorized Gantry Crane with a 20’-0” span and a 20’-0” underbeam height is used to provide ergonomic and efficient movement of the large drive train chassis as they move through the assembly process.

Once completed, fiber glass car shells imported from Japan are mounted onto the components and drive train chassis with the help of two 10 Ton SPANCO T-Series All Steel Adjustable Gantry Cranes. The cranes are used in tandem with a webbing sling to lift the shells onto waiting chassis.

When asked how SPANCO Gantry Cranes have helped him on the project, Skender states “Portability of equipment is a significant factor for the Seattle Light Rail Project. SPANCO Gantry Cranes have really helped our business because of their portability; we can break them down with little or no effort and take them with us. The gantries have truly helped our productivity. The building we are in now did not have cranes in it, so we installed gantry cranes for the production line. The SPANCO gantry cranes offer quality, met our budgetary needs, and were delivered on time. They were simple to install, were extremely rigid, and had a solid base. Technical support was also easy to get to”

Skender has been very pleased with the role that SPANCO Gantry Cranes have played in the Seattle Light Rail Project. He has even recommended SPANCO Gantry Cranes to other “set-up site” project managers within his company.

SPANCO sells a wide range of motorized gantry cranes with pre-engineered spans of up to 60 feet and capacities of up to 15 tons. Our motorized gantry cranes are trackless and motorized directly on the floor. Consider a SPANCO Motorized Gantry Crane as an economical addition to your production facility or process.

• SPANCO - Gantry Cranes Play Role in Seattle Light Rail Project

SPANCO - Wall Mounted Jibs Provide Lifting Supplement for Leading Manufacturer of Mobile Cranes

A leading manufacturer of mobile cranes operates a 58,000 square foot manufacturing facility in southeastern Pennsylvania. Assembly of the large cranes takes place in an individual building that is outfitted with large 30 Ton overhead cranes. The large mobile cranes are assembled as they move on a conveyor system through different staging areas. Each staging area serves as a sub-assembly for a different part of the mobile crane. Sub-assembly areas might include gearbox build-up, valve systems, transfer case build-ups, radiator build-ups, or engine frame staging.

During the set-up of the assembly line, management explored possible material handling solutions. Originally, a large freestanding I-beam workstation crane was considered. This solution became problematic because it interfered with the overhead crane. The shop manager suggested the possibility of using wall mounted jib cranes because of the ability to fold them out of the way. Turning to his local overhead material handling dealer, his dealer recommended SPANCO wall mounted jibs because of their ease of use and quality build. After reviewing what SPANCO could provide, the shop manager invested in six 1 Ton capacity SPANCO 300 Series Wall Mounted Cantilever Jib Cranes. The jibs were mounted to the existing support structure and were placed in key sub assembly areas where overhead lifting was a critical need.

One sub assembly area is the "super-structure engine assembly." In this area the mobile crane’s engine is pieced together and tested. Once the worker in this area has completed an assembly, the jib allows him to lift the assembly with ease. It is moved from his workstation out to the main assembly conveyor so that it can be installed on to the chassis. The jib allows him to lift up and over changing floor obstacles within the radius of the jib. Having the jib in his workstation means he doesn’t have to wait to use the large overhead crane.

SPANCO Wall Mounted Jib Cranes are the perfect lifting supplement for large overhead facility cranes.

• SPANCO - Wall Mounted Jibs Provide Lifting Supplement for Leading Manufacturer of Mobile Cranes

SPANCO - Jibs Allow for Efficient Workflow Void of Bottlenecking

Application

A diversified engineering and custom fabrication/machine work company located in southeastern Pennsylvania operates multiple manufacturing facilities with a work force of over 200 employees. Primarily catering to the power coal industry and paper industry, the company has seen significant growth in recent years with annual sales volume exceeded 25 million dollars in 2006.

Problem

Several years ago, the plant production manager was dealing with the daily problem of bottlenecking on the production floor. Individual workstations that were set up as part of a fabrication process were becoming inefficient as coworkers had to wait to use large capacity overhead cranes to lift anything that regulations allowed them not to. At one point, as many as 20 individual fabrication jobs were be juggled with the use of a couple of large overhead cranes.

Solution

Looking for a cost-effective solution that could be implemented with the current warehouse design, the production manager contacted a local SPANCO distributor. After a brief review of the situation, the value of a SPANCO 301 series wall mounted jib crane was immediately recognized. The SPANCO distributor recommended the purchase of jib cranes for each workstation, allowing individual bay workers to lift and position anything up to 2 tons with 200° degree rotation. The inclusion of these jib cranes allowed for an efficient production process void of bottlenecking.

Wrap-Up

Over the past several years, this company has purchased and installed multiple SPANCO series wall mounted jibs to accommodate their growing facility.

• SPANCO - Jibs Allow for Efficient Workflow Void of Bottlenecking

SPANCO - Workstation Bridge Crane Provides Ergonomic Solution For Metal Fabrication Facility

A 10,000 square foot metal fabrication facility in central Pennsylvania specializes in assembling and fabricating steel bases that are used to support printing presses in large print facilities. After being in business for two years, the company president re-evaluated the fabrication work flow, looking to lower production costs in order to stay competitive.

The fabrication process involved part assembly and welding that took place at individual work stations throughout the facility. Assemblies could weigh anywhere from 900lbs. to 1500lbs. Originally, jib cranes mounted on the warehouse support columns were used by workers to at each station. The jib cranes were effective for work done within an individual station, but did not provide the ability to move an assembly to the next stage of fabrication. The company’s first solution to this problem was to use forklifts. While the forklifts did provide mobility, they ended up becoming a safety hazard to the employees, and also introduced a significant amount of grease that was transferred onto the product. This grease had to be removed before shipping.

The problems presented by the use of forklifts lead the president to seek a more effective and secure solution. Looking to bring in an expert, he contacted a local material handling specialist to visit their site and study their fabrication workflow. The specialist, also a SPANCO distributor, spent an entire day observing the workflow and came to the conclusion that a SPANCO Workstation Bridge Crane would add immediate value. After listening to the solution, the president decided to invest in a 2000lb. capacity SPANCO Workstation Bridge Crane. Once installed, the system had a runway length of 110’, covering a majority of the fabrication process. The dual 20’ bridges allowed workers using an overhead hoist to move assemblies effortlessly along SPANCO’s smooth enclosed track bridge crane.

After two months of service the company once again re-evaluated their fabrication workflow and found that through the inclusion of a SPANCO Workstation Bridge Crane, they were able to cut their production time by a third! Not only was their efficiency increased, but more importantly, their workers were more secure. A SPANCO Workstation Bridge Crane was a perfect ergonomic solution.

• SPANCO - Workstation Bridge Crane Provides Ergonomic Solution For Metal Fabrication Facility

SPANCO - Aluminum Gantry Provides Economical Lifting Solution for HVAC Industry and Contractors

Many companies in the HVAC industry are challenged with doing repair, maintenance, and installations of HVAC units on rooftop settings. The units that they are working with are very heavy, and placement or removal from the plenum requires use of an overhead lifting device that can be transported to a rooftop.

For 28 years, SPANCO Aluminum Gantry cranes have been providing an economical lifting solution for this HVAC challenge. SPANCO Aluminum Gantries are engineered for solid construction and they are light enough for a one or two man crew to transport and assemble quickly. Many rooftop work settings are also hampered by roofs that are composed of soft material that standard polyurethane wheels will sink into once they are under the stress of a load. To solve this problem, SPANCO Aluminum Gantry cranes can come with optional single and dual wheel pneumatic tires. These pneumatic tires provide a flexible cushion of air for the gantry and load to ride on, therefore preventing rooftop damage.

• SPANCO - Aluminum Gantry Provides Economical Lifting Solution for HVAC Industry and Contractors

SPANCO Rigid Lifelines - Fold-Away Fall Protection System Provides a Custom Solution

OSHA’s 2006 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary relayed an alarming 5% increase in occupational fatalities related to falls. This translated into the third highest number of fall related deaths since the inception of the OSHA Census in the early 1990s. Despite these recent numbers, public and privately owned companies continue to put their employees at risk by asking them to work at dangerous heights, or on or over dangerous machinery without proper fall protection.

SPANCO, Inc. has recognized the serious safety deficiencies existing in today’s industry and has strived to be a leader in Rigid Lifeline Fall Protection by listening to end-users and custom engineering personal fall protection systems to accommodate unique industry needs while keeping the security of the employee and the reassurance of the employer at the forefront of their mission.

This year saw the addition of a new SPANCO Rigid Lifelines fall protection solution, the SPANCO Rigid Lifelines Fold-Away Fall Protection System. Engineering of this system started when end-users came to SPANCO and expressed interest in a fall protection system that did not require permanent installation, one that had some mobility. Many end-users complained that a permanent structure would interfere with their work processes by being in the way of large overhead cranes. Traditional wire rope systems were also not an option due to low clearance and other design deficiency like greater free fall distance. SPANCO management and engineers sat down and evaluated these end-user requests and as a result, the Fold-Away Fall Protection System is now being offered to end-users, and success stories are already apparent.

A few months ago, a process engineer and plant safety manager for a small powered transformer facility in the south identified a serious safety deficiency in their production process. Inside their facility, transformers were being manufactured through a series of production stations. During the production process, large transformer shells measuring anywhere from 10’ to 18’ in height, were transported via rail or crane to the individual stations. Once at the stations, workers needed climb on top of the shells in order to insert coils, gauges, and other transformer components. This process of climbing on top of the shells was extremely dangerous due to the height of the transformers. After evaluating their need, the process engineer and safety manager contacted ITAC, a member of the SPANCO distribution network. It was explained that the company needed a system that could provide low clearance fall protection to their workers while they climbed on top of the transformer shells, but that the system could not interfere with the overhead crane that was used to move the shells from station to station.

After listening to the situation and doing an onsite evaluation, Industrial Turn Around Corporation (ITAC) fall protection engineer Bruce Simms immediately recognized that the new SPANCO Rigid Lifelines Fold-Away Fall Protection systems was a perfect fit. Simms brought the project to SPANCO vice president George Nolan. Nolan collaborated with SPANCO engineering to design a custom fold-away system that interfaced with the company’s current warehouse columns and conduit. The resulting system was comprised of 2 forty foot spans of continuous dual steel track that was underhung on steel jibs that measured 15 feet off of the warehouse house column when the system was fully extended. When folded in against the columns, the system protruded only one foot off of the columns, providing room for the overhead crane to work as usual. The system can be manually moved and locked into place at varying degrees. Another great feature of the system is the dual track that allows for two workers to work on top of the transformers and walk along opposite sides and pass each other without needing to disconnect from the trolley. SPANCO track also provides a 310lb capacity and in this case, a 310lb capacity for each individual track.

After a few months of use the company’s safety manager is thrilled with the integration of the system. In fact orders are currently being placed for another similar system in another part of the plant.

In today’s industries, plant engineers or safety managers may not realize the potential custom fall protection solutions that are available to their industry or company. When a production hazard has been identified in your workflow, you may want to explore customized fall protection solutions that a company like SPANCO can provide. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box, SPANCO engineers have customized fall protection systems for use with gantry cranes, free standing jib cranes, and lightweight enclosed track bridge crane applications where a dual axis allows for a worker to operate from front to back, and left to right. Every end-user application is unique and that is why fall protection solutions must be custom, not canned compliance. SPANCO understands the importance of listening to the end-user and engineering products that meet their unique application needs.

• SPANCO Rigid Lifelines - Fold-Away Fall Protection System Provides a Custom Solution

SPANCO - Wall Traveling Jib Cranes Have Improved the Efficiency of Steel Production

Application

During the steel production process, large overhead cranes are used to transport large refractory lined ladles full of molten steel from the blast furnace to a pour station. At the pour station, the ladle cover is removed and the ladle is tilted to transfer the molten iron into large molds waiting on transfer cars. Once emptied, the ladle cover is returned and the ladle heads back to the blast furnace to repeat the process.

Problem

In review of the production process, plant managers found that the large overhead cranes were being subject to significant downtime caused by tedious tasks like ladle lid removal and replacement. This was proving to be not only inefficient, but also difficult due to the size of the overhead crane.

Solution

SPANCO Wall Traveling Jib Cranes are a custom engineered and cost-effective solution for this problem. The Wall Traveling Jib complements the overhead crane system, providing a more efficient method for lid removal and allowing for operation of the overhead crane to focus on transport to and from the blast furnace. The cranes can be used to span multiple workstations in an entire plant. The Wall Traveling Jib solution also translates into efficient material handling. As opposed to a semi-gantry crane, the Wall Traveling Jib spans a wall, so there is no crane leg or rail to interfere with floor activity.

Wrap-Up

For over 20 years, the steel industry has benefited from the use of SPANCO Wall Traveling Jib Cranes. These cranes have improved the efficiency of the steel production process.

• SPANCO - Wall Traveling Jib Cranes Have Improved the Efficiency of Steel Production

SPANCO Rigid Lifelines - Fall Protection System Provides Security to Truck Drivers

A major manufacturer of chocolate confections receives 2-4 shipments of liquid chocolate on a weekly basis. The liquid chocolate is transported to their manufacturing facility in 6500-gallon tanker trucks. Trucks dock at a station to the rear of the facility and a pumping hose is attached to the back of the tanker. The driver of the truck is then responsible to climb on top of the tanker trailer and manually ensure that all chocolate is successfully pumped into the facility. This process includes walking back and forth on top of the tanker while using a large rubber hand held tool to help push the chocolate to the back of the tank.

While observing this process, the plant safety manager recognized the serious safety concern that was present for the truck driver. The driver was being exposed to a potentionally life-threatening situation due to the risk of falling while simply trying to complete his job. This was compounded due to deliveries being made year round, where a tanker trailer covered with ice becomes almost impossible to navigate.

In looking for a solution, the manufacturer contacted a SPANCO distributor who immediately recognized the value in having a SPANCO Rigid Lifelines Freestanding Fall Protection System installed along the side of their docking station. After explaining the benefits of a SPANCO Rigid Lifelines Fall Protection System, a custom system was installed. The system track is 37 feet in length with 22-foot high uprights. A trolley moves along the track and allows for a cable and harness attachment. The new system allows for truck drivers to put on a harness and then ascend and navigate to the top of their tanker truck safely. In the event that a driver would fall from the top of his trailer while unloading, the SPANCO fall protection system will now help to avoid serious injury or death.

With the inclusion of a SPANCO fall protection system, the manufacturer can now take pride in providing truck drivers with a more secure work environment. This is a benefit to the company due to liability being a potential significant expense. Remember, equipment is cheaper than the accident.

• SPANCO Rigid Lifelines - Fall Protection System Provides Security to Truck Drivers

SPANCO - Gantry Crane Provides Secure Unloading of Steel Bundles from Flatbeds

Application

A housing material supplier receives daily shipments of steel bundles. The bundles arrive on flatbed trucks that are backed into a large warehouse and unloaded. Shipments can range from one 500lb I-beam to a full truck load of 40 thousand pounds. The steel is then transported from the warehouse to existing indoor and outdoor stockpiles.

Problem

For several years the method for unloading the steel from flatbeds involved using forklifts. The number of lifts used varied depending on the size of the load, but a full shipment might require up to four 6,000lb forklifts for unloading. Trying to coordinate the transfer of a large steel load with four forklifts became not only time consuming, but also very dangerous. Some of the steel beams were of considerable length and became difficult to unload safely.

Solution

The site manager came to the conclusion that the steel transfer process was inefficient and putting his employees in harms way. In seeking a solution, a SPANCO distributor suggested the benefit that an overhead material handling device like a SPANCO Gantry Crane might provide. After seeing the value that a SPANCO Gantry Crane would provide, one was installed. The crane has an overall span of 58ft and an under the beam height of 23ft. It is rated at a capacity of 7.5 tons. The crane is also motorized with 2 speeds for indoor operation on a v-groove track that runs the length of the warehouse. With the use of a SPANCO Gantry Crane, employees can now unload steel securely and efficiently. They can also move stockpiles within the warehouse with limited effort. The SPANCO Gantry Crane also provides the user with a versatile system that doesn’t require permanent installation and can easily be moved to a new location.

Wrap-Up

A SPANCO Gantry Crane provided this housing material supplier with a safe and economical material handling alternative to forklifts. If you have a material handling problem, consider the benefits of an overhead material handling device like a SPANCO Gantry Crane.

• SPANCO - Gantry Crane Provides Secure Unloading of Steel Bundles from Flatbeds